EHL265. EADC (Eastbourne Artisans Dwelling Company) Plaque 1904. 136 Seaside at the junction with Belmore Road. what3words location: bumping.shuttled.flatten

The letters EADC are very stylised on this plaque and would be difficult to decipher if you did not know what they actually stood for.

Alexandra Buildings is named after Queen Alexandra, who, as Princess Alexandra married Queen Victoria’s eldest son Edward in 1863.  She later became Queen Alexandra when he acceded to the throne as Edward VII in 1901.  She was the daughter of King Kristian IX of Denmark, and was a popular figure, endearing herself to the British people through her charity work, consequently many buildings of this era carry her name.

The building of Artisans Dwellings had its origins in a series of Parliamentary Acts starting in 1851, some of which are listed below.
Common Lodging Houses Act 1851 gave Boroughs and Vestries the power to supervise public health regarding 'common lodging houses' for the poor and migratory people.
Labouring Classes Lodging Houses Act 1851 gave Boroughs and Vestries the power to raise funds via local rates or Public Works Loan Commissioners to build lodging houses for unmarried working (as opposed to unemployed) people.
The Artisans and Labourers Dwellings Improvement Act 1875 allowed local councils to buy up areas of slum dwellings in order to clear and then rebuild them.
The Housing of the Working Classes Act 1885: In November 1883 the Conservative leader Lord Salisbury wrote a 16-page article titled ‘LABOURERS AND ARTISANS DWELLINGS’ in which he argued that the poor conditions of over-crowded working-class housing were injurious to morality and health.  On March 4th 1884 a Royal Commission was set-up.  It met twice a week in spring and summer of 1884; heard from witnesses, asked 18,000 questions, toured the slums, and interviewed doctors, policemen, Poor Law Board officials, clergymen, government officials and vestry sanitary committee chairmen.  Its report was published in 1885.
Richard Cross, the Home Secretary, introduced the Bill into the House of Commons on July 24th 1885 and Lord Salisbury did the same in the House of Lords. The Act allowed county districts to get loans from HM Treasury on the security of the rates. The Local Government Board was granted the power to force local authorities to shut down unhealthy houses, making landlords personally liable for their tenants’ health, and the Act also made it illegal for landlords to let property which was below elementary sanitary standards.
Housing of the Working Classes Act 1890: The previous 1885 Act was not a housing act. It empowered local authorities to condemn slum housing, but could not purchase the land and finance new housing. The 1890 Act gave urban authorities the legal power to buy land and to construct tenements and housing estates.
Housing of the Working Classes Act 1900: This Act was an extension to the 1890 Act and gave local authorities the legal power to buy land through compulsory purchase to construct tenements and housing estates.